For Casey, the arts always came first. He painted and published books of poetry, but the football association that he viewed as a stepping stone followed him.

"It was just a gig," he told the Washington Post in 1977 about football. "But it limits the way people perceive you. That can be frustrating. People have tremendous combinations of talents. A man can be a deep-sea diver and also make china."

His art in particular captivated many famous minds, including Maya Angelou.